The present invention relates to a rotatable holder, such as a holder for a musical instrument on a stand, and the invention particularly relates to a mechanism for memorizing the rotary orientation of the rotary member of the holder for enabling return to that rotary orientation. The invention is particularly suitable for use as a holder for percussion musical instruments, such as tom tom drums, cymbals, etc., but the invention is not limited to that use. In general, the holder comprises a relatively stationary, non-rotating, fixed mounting part which supports a relatively rotatable part, which, in turn, holds an article, such as a musical instrument. A rod projecting from the rotatable part supports the instrument. The rotatable part may be rotated to a desired or preselected orientation for setting the orientation of the rod and of the musical instrument carried on the rod.
A musical instrument holder over which the invention is an improvement, for example, is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-122396, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,569. The holder arranges the musical instrument, such as a tom tom or cymbal, at a prescribed orientation for use during the performance. The holder includes a rotatable part supported on a fixed part. The rotatable part includes a musical instrument holding part, like a rod. The rotatable part is held on the fixed part, so as to be freely rotatable to the desired orientation, by tightening means which are subsequently tightened to the rotatable part against rotation, at a selected angular orientation. The performer delicately adjusts the position of the supported instrument by adjusting the rotary angle of the rotatable part with respect to the fixed part.
When the assembled drum set, and particularly the holder, is dismantled for storage or transport or is folded up, the holder, and particularly the instrument supporting rod of the holder, is rotated to a desired storage orientation. When the drum set is set up again for use, it is necessary to readjust the angular orientation of the instrument supporting rod, by adjusting the rotation angle of the rotatable part. Again, that adjustment is delicate and time consuming for the performer. To avoid those problems of the set up, some performers leave a mark on the rotatable part of the holder to know how to orient it. However, such a mark may sometimes be erased, and in any event, the marking will dirty the rotatable part.